How to Play
- Choose a mode: the computer, a friend sharing your screen, or a friend in an online room.
- The board starts with four discs in the middle. Violet (ring marker) moves first, then amber (square marker).
- Small rings show every square where you are allowed to play. Tap one to place a disc.
- Any line of enemy discs trapped between your new disc and another of your discs flips to your side — across, down or diagonally, all at once.
- If you have no legal square, your turn is skipped automatically and a note tells you who had to pass.
- When neither side can move, the discs are counted and the bigger total wins.
Rules
Reversi is played on an 8×8 board. A move is legal only if it flips at least one enemy disc. To flip, your new disc and an existing disc of yours must enclose one or more enemy discs in an unbroken straight line with no gaps. One move can flip lines in several directions, and every enclosed line flips together.
Discs are never removed; they only change sides. If a player cannot flip anything, that turn passes to the opponent without a move. The game ends when the board is full or when neither player has a legal move left. The player with more discs of their colour wins, and equal counts give a draw.
Tips & Strategy
- Corners are permanent. A disc in a corner can never be flipped because nothing can get around it. Most strong games are decided by who takes more corners.
- Stay away from the squares next to an empty corner. Playing on the diagonal square beside a corner often hands that corner to your opponent on the very next move.
- Fewer discs early can be better. Grabbing lots of discs in the opening gives your rival more targets and more choices. Quiet moves that flip one or two discs keep your options open.
- Count your options. A great move leaves you many legal squares and your opponent very few. If they run out of safe moves, they are forced to give you a corner or an edge.
- Plan for the last few moves. In the final dozen squares, discs finally matter more than position, so count carefully and look for the move that flips the most on your final turn.
Game Modes
Play vs Computer offers three levels. Easy grabs corners when it spots them but otherwise plays loosely, so beginners can win. Medium weighs board position and looks three moves ahead. Hard values corners and mobility, reads four moves deep, and calculates the last nine squares exactly, so it rarely throws away a close finish.
Play with Friend shares one screen between two players. The current player’s score chip glows, and the legal-move rings appear for whoever is up next.
Play Online is for friends on different devices.
Play with Friends Online
Tap Play Online and open a fresh room. A room code and invite link appear on your screen — share either one however you like. Your friend taps the link and shows up in your lobby within seconds, with nothing to install. Start the game when you are both ready. Flips show up on both devices together, and an automatic pass is announced on both screens so nobody is left wondering whose move it is.
Reversi FAQ
Can I skip my turn on purpose?
No. If you have at least one legal move, you must play. Your turn is skipped only when there is truly nowhere you can flip a disc.
Do flipped discs cause a chain reaction?
No. Only the lines enclosed by the disc you just placed flip. Discs that change colour do not flip anything further on their own.
Why is the square next to the corner a bad move?
It gives your opponent a straight line into the corner. Once they own the corner, they can often take the whole edge too.
Can the game end before the board is full?
Yes. If neither player has a legal move, the game stops right away and the discs are counted, even with empty squares left.
How are the two sides marked for colour-blind players?
Violet discs have a white ring in the middle and amber discs have a dark square, so you can tell them apart by shape alone.
Last updated: 2026-09-30
